Europe

French Gas Operator GRTgaz Seeks Interest in Building Hydrogen Pipeline

French gas transmission system operator GRTgaz on Thursday opened a Call for Interest, or invitation to participate, to determine the viability of building a hydrogen transport pipeline linking the French side of the Franco-Spanish pipeline BarMar with a local storage facility.

German Green Group Files Complaint Seeking Shorter LNG Terminal License

A German environmental group has lodged a complaint calling for the operating license of a new floating LNG terminal at Wilhelmshaven to be shortened by a decade, citing its discharging of chlorine and risks to Germany's climate targets.

Spain to Ask EU For Extension to Iberian Gas Price Cap Until End 2024

Spain will seek European Union permission to extend its temporary cap on reference prices for natural gas and coal used by power plants until at least the end of 2024, Energy Minister Teresa Ribera said on Monday.

EU Energy Regulator to Launch LNG Price Assessment on Friday

European Union energy regulators will start publishing a daily LNG price assessment on Friday, the first step in the EU's plan to form a new European benchmark price for the super-chilled fuel.

Eni, Snam Join Forces on Algeria-Italy Gas Pipelines

Italian energy group Eni and gas grid operator Snam have clinched a partnership to jointly manage their assets in the gas pipelines connecting Algeria to Italy, the companies said on Tuesday.

Global Pipeline Construction Outlook 2023

(P&GJ) — Seldom has a new year arrived with the degree of supply and demand uncertainty facing global energy markets at the start of 2023. Pipeline & Gas Journal's annual survey of global construction activity reflects a renewed emphasis on energy security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

DNV Completes Verification for 195-Mile Section of Baltic Pipeline

(P&GJ) — Energinet has received Certificates of Conformity from DNV for its offshore Baltic Pipe project section. Its part of the project comprises 105 km (65 miles) of pipeline in the North Sea and 210 km (130 miles) underground pipeline across Denmark.

Bulgaria Signs 13-Year Gas Deal with Turkey

Under the new 13-year agreement, Bulgargaz would be able to use Turkey's LNG terminals for cargo shipments, which would be transported via Botas's gas network to Bulgaria.

Kazakhstan to Raise Supply of Oil to Germany Via Druzhba Pipeline in 2023

Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft said Kazakhstan's KazTransOil had requested 1.2 million tonnes of capacity on the Druzhba pipeline for 2023 to facilitate extra oil shipments to Germany, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Poland Ready for Russian Oil Ban, Seeks Pipeline Sanctions

Poland is prepared for a Russian ban on oil sales to countries implementing a price cap, the climate minister said on Thursday, with the country having cut its intake of Russian crude and secured alternative supplies from producers such as Saudi Arabia.

Russia Ready to Resume Gas Supplies to Europe Via Yamal-Europe Pipeline

Moscow is ready to resume gas supplies to Europe through the Yamal-Europe Pipeline, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told state TASS news agency.

Russian Pipeline Gas Exports to Europe Fall to Post-Soviet Low

Russian gas exports to Europe via pipelines plummeted to a post-Soviet low in 2022 as its largest customer cut imports due the invasion of Ukraine and the Nord Stream pipeline was damaged by mysterious blasts

German Companies Plan to Invest More in Africa in 2023

A poll of businesses shows German companies want to boost their activities in Africa next year, especially in areas such as green hydrogen and LNG.

Italy Court Ruling Allows Work on Tuscan LNG Terminal to Proceed

An Italian administrative court has ruled against a request for a precautionary halt on works for a new LNG terminal in the Tuscan port city of Piombino, saying it did not pose an immediate threat to public safety.

Transitus, Proteum to Produce Hydrogen in Europe Using Natural Gas from North Sea

(P&GJ) — Proteum Energy and Transitus Energy have entered into an agreement to explore joint development opportunities in the U.K., Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and Norway to produce low-carbon hydrogen by reforming natural gas resources from the North Sea.

Equinor to Invest $1.3 Billion to Upgrade Norway’s Hammerfest LNG Plant

Equinor and its partners in the Arctic Snoehvit gas field will invest $1.34 billion to upgrade the Hammerfest LNG plant, which processes the output, the government and companies said on Tuesday.

RBC: Blast Hits Russia-Ukraine Gas Export Pipeline

A blast has ripped through the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas exporting pipeline, which leads from Russia through Ukraine, the RBC news outlet cited local officials as stating on Tuesday.

Denmark’s Orsted Signs Deal for Norwegian Gas via Baltic Pipe

(P&GJ) — Orsted AS signed a deal for natural gas from the Norwegian North Sea to be delivered through the newly constructed Baltic Pipe, cushioning the effect of Russian cuts on Danish energy markets, the company said.

Norway's Hoegh LNG in Talks to Supply More Regasification Vessels to Europe

Norway's Hoegh LNG is in talks to supply more of its floating storage and regasification units to several European countries seeking alternatives to Russian gas, its CEO said.

Kremlin: No Decision Yet on Repair of Nord Stream Gas Pipelines

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that no decision had been made yet on whether to go ahead with a repair of the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines that were damaged by explosions in September.

German Pipeline Firms Say They Will 'Make Hydrogen Happen' in 2025

Germany's Gascade, Ontras and terranets have agreed to convert high-pressure gas pipelines to transport low-carbon hydrogen from the Baltic Sea all the way the south of the country by 2025, the companies said on Thursday.

Wintershall Dea and Partners to Invest $800 Million in Norway Gas Field

Europe / E&P / Gas

Germany's Wintershall Dea and its partners Petoro and Sval Energi will invest roughly $803.6 million to develop the Dvalin North gas field in the Norwegian Sea, the companies and Norway's energy ministry said on Tuesday.

Hungary to Start Talks with Qatar About Buying LNG

Hungary and Qatar have agreed that their state-owned energy companies will start talks about Hungary buying LNG from the Gulf Arab state, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a Facebook video on Wednesday.

IEA: EU Could Face 27 Bcm Gas Shortage Next Year

If Russia was to cut the small share of gas it still delivers to Europe, and Chinese gas demand rebounded from COVID-19 lockdown-induced lows, the EU could face a gas shortfall of 27 billion cubic meters (Bcm) in 2023, the IEA said. Total EU gas consumption was 412 Bcm in 2021.

VTTI Plans to Build New Floating LNG Platform in Netherlands by 2024

Dutch energy company VTTI said on Monday it plans to build a new floating LNG terminal in the Netherlands with capacity to import 5 billion cubic meters of gas annually.

Netherlands to Spend Up To $548 Million to Fill Gas Storage for Next Winter

The Dutch government expects to spend up to $548.4 million to sufficiently fill the gas storage at Bergermeer, one of Europe's largest, in the winter of 2023-2024.

280-Mile Hydrogen Pipeline Connecting Spain to France to Cost $2.6 Billion

An underwater pipeline set to carry green hydrogen between Spain and France will cost about $2.6 billion, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday, adding he hoped the European Union would partly fund the project.

Russia’s NG Pipeline Exports to Europe Near 40-Year Lows

(P&GJ) — Russia’s natural gas exports by pipeline to the European Union and the United Kingdom declined by almost 40% during the first seven months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, and by almost 50% compared with the previous five-year (2017–21) average, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon.

Ørsted Plans Large-Scale Green Hydrogen Project in Denmark

Renewable energy firm Orsted on Tuesday said it intends to invest in a large-scale facility in Denmark to produce green hydrogen, considered a cornerstone of the shift to cleaner energy. The first stage of the investment in the so-called Power-to-X facility is estimated at somewhere between $141-$705 million.

Sempra Energy Strikes 15-Year LNG Supply Deal with France's ENGIE

Sempra Energy said on Tuesday it would supply about 0.875 MTPA of LNG to French power company ENGIE for 15 years from its proposed Port Arthur LNG project in Texas.